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27th May 2023

Holly Willoughby breaks silence on Philip Schofield affair and “lie”

Callum Boyle

Holly Willoughby

Schofield confirmed he had resigned from ITV on Friday

Holly Willoughby has said that Philip Schofield lied to her about his affair with a younger male colleague.

On Friday evening, Schofield released a statement to the Daily Mail in which he revealed he had lied about having a relationship with the colleague whilst he was married to his then-wife Stephanie.

In the statement the 61-year-old said: “I am making this statement via the Daily Mail, to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story which they wanted to write about me a few days ago.

“Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than a just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over.”

Although Willoughby is not due to return to This Morning until Monday week, June 5, she took to Instagram to release a statement:

‘When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not.

‘It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie.’

Holly Willoughby expected to return with new co-host

It’s been reported that The Mail know the identity of the man in question but have chosen not to name him.

Last weekend, Schofield suddenly stepped down from his role as presenter on This Morning after 21 years. This followed reports of a breakdown in his relationship with co-host Holly Willoughby.

Cover presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary paid tribute to Schofield at the start of Monday’s programme. Willoughby is returning to the show on June 5 and could be paired with either O’Leary or Stephen Mulhern for the next stretch of shows.

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